False Alarm: Priscilla Presley Has Not Left The Church Of Scientology

Whenever a high-profile member leaves the Church of Scientology, it sends waves across the country. Yesterday, it was announced that Priscilla Presley had left the church after being a member over 40 years. New evidence is proving that, in fact, she is still very much a Scientologist.

The Daily Mail broke the news of Presley’s departure yesterday, and many were praising her choice to leave the controversial religion. The report claimed Priscilla confided in friends that she decided to remove herself from the church, but that has turned out to not be the case.

A rep for Priscilla spoke with E! News and People, who confirmed she has not left. The 72-year-old joined the church shortly after her ex-husband, Elvis Presley’s, death in 1977. She raised her daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, in the church until she left on her own in 2014.

Some were questioning if Priscilla ultimately decided to leave the church due to her daughter’s exit several years ago. There are rules within the church which prohibit members from talking to those who have left the religion. The mother and daughter’s relationship was obviously strained, and unfortunately continues to be so.

Leah Remini is perhaps the most famous celebrity to leave the Church of Scientology and has publically spoken about the dangers of the religion. In addition to her documentary series, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, she also has released a memoir reflecting on her time with the church. Katie Holmes, Nicole Kidman, Paul Haggis, and Tom Berenger have all left the Church of Scientology as well.

For now, the biggest names in Scientology are still Tom Cruise and John Travolta, who have been members for decades. Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale), Laura Prepon (Orange Is the New Black), Erika Christensen (Swimfan), and Giovanni Ribisi (Avatar) are just some of the big names who still reside alongside Priscilla in the church.

The Church of Scientology was founded in 1954 by American author L. Ron Hubbard. The church believes that humans are immortal spirits (called thetans) that reside in a physical body. Thetans have past lives, and before Earth’s existence, they lived in extraterrestrial cultures.

Some have described the religion as a cult, and believe it exists only for financial gain. For now, it appears they’ll still be getting nice chunks of cash from Priscilla.

[Featured Image by Vivien Killilea/Stinger/Getty Images]